Roll spindle



Oct. 12, 1943. o. J. SULL'IVAN ROLL SPINDLE Filed May 25, 1942 ing shaft. pansible shafts have been employed for such Patented Oct. 12, 1943 grin ROLL SPINDLE Owen J. Sullivan, Menasha, Wis, assignor to Marathon Paper Mills Company, Rothschild, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Application May 23, 1942, Serial No. 444,273

' Claims.

This invention relates to spindles for rolls and the object is to provide a support for a roll or for the core on which a roll of paper or fabric is wound adapted to engage same frictionally with a uniform firm grip.

In rewinder slitting machines webs are wound ci a core, ordinarily a tube of cardboard or other aft material having an inside diameter slightly .rger than the shaft of the winding mechanism that it may readily be slipped on and off of aid shaft. Heretofore various devices for en- ;aging or clutching the ends of the core have .:een employed to insure rotation of the core with "he winding shaft. Such devices are inadequate if the core is shorter than the shaft or if a num- 1 oer of short cores for simultaneously Winding a number of ribbons are mounted on a single wind- Accordingly various types of excores, generally expanded and contracted by mechanical means, making provision for insuring a rotation of the core with the winding shaft.

The object of this invention is to provide a roll spindle having a cylindrical shell pierced by a plurality of suitably spaced openings at its surface. These openings are sealed air-tight by a flexible and expansible membrane or insert clamped in sealing position. When pneumatic pressure is applied to the cylindrical shell, these flexible membranes tend to bulge out through the openings in the spindle and engage a core or roll carried on the spindle, thereby firmly frictionally engaging and locking the roll or core on the spindle during rotation. When the the core is to be removed the pneumatic pressure is relieved whereby the flexible membranes contract to normal position so that the core can be freely removed from the spindle.

The invention Will be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein is shown by way of example one illustrative embodiment of the invention as applied to a rewinding roll for a paper web and wherein:

Figure l is a fragmental side view of the spindle,

Figure 2 is an enlarged side view of a fragmental portion of the spindle,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmental longitudinal sectional view of the spindle having a core and web wound thereon,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a flexible and expansible sealing membrane or insert, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a sealing plate.

Referring to the drawing, the spindle there shown embodies an elongated metal hollow shell l0 provided with bearings l2 at each end which are adapted to be engaged in a winding mechanism of any conventional construction. One end of the spindle is provided with a fluid duct l4 communicating with the interior of the shell ll] whereby pneumatic pressure, such as compressed air or other fluid, may be applied. The spindle is pierced at suitable intervals with substantially rectangular openings All or of any other suitable contour which, communicate with the interior of the hollow portion of the spindle.

Pairs of openings All may be located in dia metrically opposed relation as shown in Figure 2' and alternate pairs of openings 4!! may be positioned at or at any other staggered relation to the adjacent pair of openings on the spindle so as to provide a uniform and firm grip when a core 30 such as of ordinary cardboard is to be retained on the spindle. Each of the openings is pneumatically sealed. by means of a flexible and extensible sealing membrane or insert 25 shown in Figur 4, made, for example, of flexible rubber sheeting of suflicient thickness to Withstand rupture when subjected to considerable air or fluid pressure and which will stretch and bulge out under the influence of fluid pressure so as to extend outwardly through the opening 40 in the spindle beyond the outer periphery and into firm locking engagement with the inner surface of core 30 on the spindle, as shown in Figure 3. Each of the sealing membraneszt is retained in air-tight sealed position by means of a sealing plate 15 shown in Figure 5 which has a curved contour complemental with the inner curved contour of the spindle is so as to fit snugly against same.

The sealing plate is afilxe'd to the spindle by means of screws 20 which engage suitable threads provided in openings N5 of the sealing plate. Sealing membranes 25 are provided with open ings 26 to permit screws 28 to pass therethrough. Spaced openings l8 are provided in the sealing plate to permit the fluid pressure to pass from the interior of the spindle against the sealing membrane as indicated by the arrows in Figure 3 so as to expand and stretch same outwardly of the spindle beyond its outer peripheral surface so as to engage and grip the adjacent curved sur face of the core 30.' The surface I! of sealing plates l5 which contacts the marginal periphery of the sealing membrane may be roughened or knurled so as to ensure positive clamping and sealing of the margins of membrane 25 to prewhereby the core is firmly gripped and re-.

tained on the spindle. Any desired web mate-, rial such as paper is then wound on the core. After the web material 35 is wound, the fluid pressure is relieved and the roll removed from the spindle.

The spindle is particularly adapted for use in connection with rewinders. In making waxed paper rolls, for example, a paper core say 61 inches long and with an inside diameter large enough to permit the core to slide over the spindle is sl pped in position covering all the openings in the length of the spindle. The spindle is then inserted in the machine bearings so that the bearings l2 are engaged for rotation. A series of slitters set 12 inches apart and operating from a shaft located above the spindle is pressed down upon the rotating paper core shaft cutting through the paper to the surface of the spindle at II as shown in Figure 1. The spindle with the 12 inch core sections is then shifted to a winding position on the machine. Air under pressure is then injected at the end of the spindle at ll expanding the rubber sealing members 25 through the openings 40 thereby locking the paper cores in position and permitting say 125" of paper to be slitted and wound on the 12 inch cores without slippage. The air pressure is then cut off, the shaft removed from the machine, the wound rolls slipped from the spindle, completing the operation.

While it is preferred to employ the specific construction and arrangement of parts shown and described it will be understood that this construction is not essential except so far as specified in the claims, and may be changed or modified without departing from the broader features of the invention.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated, and its preferred embodiment, operation and use having been specifically described, what is claimed as new is:

1. A roll spindle for retaining a roll comprising a cylindrical shell pierced at its. roll engaging surface with a plurality of spaced openings, and each of said openings being pneumatically sealed with an individual flexible membrane, said flexible membranes being expansible through said openings into frictional locking engagement with a roll carried on the spindle.

2. A roll spindle for retaining a roll comprising a cylindrical shell pierced at its roll engaging surface with a plurality of spaced openings, and each of said openings being pneumatically sealed with an individual flexible membrane, said membranes being retained by means of individual sealing members fastened to the interior of said shell in air-tight condition.

3. A roll spindle for retaining a roll comprising a cylindrical shell pierced at its roll engaging surface with a plurality of spaced openings, and each of said openings being pneumatically sealed with an individual flexible membrane, said membranes being retained in air-tight condition by individual sealing plates affixed to the interior of said shell and having a complemental contour therewith.

4. A roll spindle for retaining a roll comprising a cylindrical shell pierced at its roll engaging surface with a plurality of spaced, substantially rectangular openings, and each of said openings being pneumatically sealed with an individual substantially rectangular flexible membrane, said membranes being locked in air-tight condition at their marginal periphery, said flexible membranes being expansible through said openings into locking engagement with a roll carried on the spindle.

5. A roll spindle for retaining a roll comprising a cylindrical shell pierced at its roll engaging surface with a plurality of spaced openings, and each of said openings being pneumatically sealed with an individual flexible membrane, said membranes being retained at their marginal periphery in air-tight condition by individual sealing plates affixed to the interior of said shell and having a complemental contour therewith, the surface of said sealing plates contacting the marginal periphery of said sealing membranes being knurled.

4. A roll spindle for retaining a roll comprising a cylindrical shell pierced at its roll engaging surface with a plurality of diametrically op-- posed openings, and each of said openings being pneumatically sealed with an individual flexible membrane, said flexible membranes being expansible through said openings into locking en gagement with a roll carried on the spindle.

'7. A roll spindle for retaining a roll comprising a cylindrical shell pierced at its roll engaging surface with a series of spaced staggered openings, and each of said openings being pneumatically sealed with an individual flexible membrane, said flexible membranes being expansible through said openings into locking engagement with a roll carried on the spindle.

8. A roll spindle for retaining a roll comprising a cylindrical shell pierced at its roll engaging surface with a plurality of spaced openings, and each of said openings being pneumatically sealed with an individual flexible membrane, said membranes being retained at their marginal periphery in air-tight condition by individual sealing plates affixed to the interior of said shell and having a complemental contour therewith, said sealing plates having perforations therethrough for permitting passage of fluid pressure therethrough in contact with said membranes to bulge said membranes through said openings beyond the periphery of said cylindrical shell into frictional contact with a roll carried on said spindle.

9. A roll spindle for retaining a roll comprising a cylindrical shell pierced at its roll engaging surface with a plurality of spaced openings, and each of said openings being pneumatically sealed with an individual flexible rubber membrane, said flexible membranes being expansible through said openings into frictional locking engagement with a roll carried on the spindle.

10. A roll spindle for retaining a roll comprising a cylindrical shell pierced at its roll engaging surface with a plurality of spaced substantially rectangular openings, and each of said openings being pneumatically sealed with an individual flexible membrane, said flexible membranes being expansible through said openings into frictional locking engagement with a roll carried on the spindle.

OWEN J. SULLIVAN.

CERTIFICATE OF C ORRECTI ON .tent No. 2, 1,71 October 12, 191;

OWEN J. SULLIVAN.

7 It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification 2f the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 2, secnd column, line 26, for the claim number "14" read --6--; line 29, before "openings" first occurrence, insert -spaced--; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent- Office.

Signed and sealed this 7th day of December, A. D. 19145.

. I Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

